Jerkbaits are one of the most effective lures for smallmouth bass all season long, but I’d argue they shine the brightest during the pre-spawn stage of the early season. Their ability to be worked at a variety of speeds and aggression levels makes them versatile in lakes and rivers.
But above all else, nothing beats a jerkbait hit (at least subsurface). Sure, the thump of a bass slurping a soft-plastic off the bottom is cool, but it pales in comparison—at least in my opinion—to the punishing blow they deliver to a jerkbait.
However, catching prespawn bass with jerbaits isn’t simply a matter of casting out and ripping them back in. Location, water temperature, bait selection, and how you finesse it all matter. So, here’s a crash course in getting as many of those powerful slams as possible before the spawn is on.
Check the Temp
In many parts of the country, the pre-spawn smallmouth bite coincides with cold water. Though it can kick on right after ice-out, jerkbait fishing really becomes viable when the water hits the high 40s. Fifty degrees is considered the true magic mark by many anglers, but anything above approximately 45 degrees will put jerkbaits in play.
Though the position of the fish can vary from location to location, pre-spawn typically finds smallmouths transitioning between deep wintering areas and shallow spawning areas. The colder the water, the deeper they’ll hold. Water 15 to 20 feet deep along ledges or sloping edges that transition to shallower water are great places to start a hunt if the temperature is below 50 degrees. Those depths are subsequently about the maximum for effective jerkbait presentations—if the bass are holding deeper, you’re better off fishing a tube or Ned rig on the bottom.
As water temperature rises, the fish will become more aggressive and slide shallower and shallower until they begin the spawning process. The trick during pre-spawn, however, is controlling your speed, which starts with selecting the right bait.
Get In the Strike Zone
There are two ways to approach cold-water jerkbait fishing. You can opt into lures with longer lips capable of reaching depths of 8 to 12 feet right out of the package. Or you can use slow-sinking suspending jerkbaits with shorter lips, which are less taxing to work than deep divers. Although the latter may only be rated for depths of 5 to 7 feet, adding a stick-on SuspenDots to the belly will make them fall faster. This is my preference when targeting pre-spawn bronze, and I like to use 15-pound braid and 10-pound fluorocarbon leader for maximum sensitivity.
See It
True suspenders like the Megabass Vision ONETEN will remain horizontal in the water column even when paused. This is critical, as it gives the bait a more natural look than those that float back up with a vertical tilt. Suspending baits will also stay in the feeding zone longer. Bass may not want to chase a bait up when the water’s cold, so if a long-lipped, deep-diving jerkbait starts floating back to the surface on the pause, it can cost you fish. Conversely, a suspending bait that hangs right in their faces often draws more strikes.
Regardless of the suspending jerkbait model you choose, make time for a bit of testing. Start by adding just one SuspenDot behind the first treble. Watch the sink rate and make sure it maintains its slashing action on the retrieve. From there you can add or subtract weight as the depth changes, but if you can dial your jerkbait in so that it reaches the zone quickly and stays there, you’ll score a lot more fish.
Read Next: The Best Bass Lures, Tested and Reviewed
Slow It Down
In warm water, aggressive twitching to make a jerkbait erratically spazz out can coax some crushing blows, but in the early season less is usually more. I like to make a long cast well beyond the target zone and start by giving the lure three or four hard rips to get it down to depth quickly. Once I’m there, I hardly do anything.
Assuming you’ve got a bait that will linger where you want it, success often comes from making it dance in the zone without advancing forward too far or fast. I like to impart sharp but short snaps of the rod tip between pauses that can last up to 10 seconds. The objective is more to make the bait “turn around” or jackknife in place to get the attention of the fish — but also give them plenty of time to make a move.
Read Next: Best Jerkbait Rods
Final Thoughts on Catching Pre-Spawn Smallmouth
Is this method as exciting as working a jerkbait quickly? No. In fact, sometimes it’ll take three minutes more minutes or more to complete a retrieve. However, when a big smallmouth hits on a dead stop, it’ll almost take the rod out of your hands. You also want to milk each retrieve because it’s not uncommon to get smoked very close to the boat or the bank. It can take a little practice to refine your cold-water retrieve, but once you figure it out, I swear you can almost anticipate when that lure is about to get nailed.
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